WATCH: ‘Sekiro’ trailer leaps closer to 2019 release

An atmospheric and action-oriented trailer for ninja warrior game “Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice” has been released in advance of the 2018 Tokyo Game Show.

The studio behind the hit “Dark Souls” franchise and PS4 exclusive “Bloodborne” is preparing to release “Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice” in March 2019.

Stealth, athleticism and proficiency in combat against oversized enemies, both human and bestial in nature, can be seen in this most recent trailer, released in advance of the 2018 Tokyo Game Show, which runs Sept. 20 to 23.

Also evidenced within the reel’s two-minute runtime is an emphasis on swift navigation of the game’s grand spaces, whether leaping up walls, flying from tree to rooftop via a grappling hook winch, or whirling away from powerful strikes.

The game is to be published by Activision, the company behind “Destiny” and “Call of Duty”.

Established in 1986, “Sekiro” developer From Software gained international recognition through the success of 2009 PlayStation 3 cult hit “Demon’s Souls”.

International fan demand for exported copies of the notoriously demanding medieval action adventure helped secure distribution of the Japanese game.

That led to From’s development of “Dark Souls”, “Dark Souls II” and “Dark Souls III” for PlayStation, Xbox and Windows PC platforms; “Bloodborne” was received as a variation on familiar themes for the PlayStation 4.

Prior to that, From was previously best known for the “Armored Core” combat robot franchise, including a multiplayer spinoff “Chromehounds.” Hidetaka Miyazaki, central to the development of entries to the “Dark Souls” and later “Armored Core” series, is the director on both “Déraciné” and “Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice”.

The game’s title, “Sekiro”, refers to the main character’s status as a one-armed warrior. JB

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